The Switch
by devinous
Summary: Kinda a prequel to Shattering Mask. Young Naruto gets asked by the Hokage to do him a favor. Switch places with Mist academy student so he can find out what Kumo is planning when the family moves. To bad the Mist student is a girl.Not required to read SM
1. Chapter 1

"You want me to WHAT!" The scream would have sounded across have the city if not for the barriers set into place. It certainly caused the old man's eardrums to ache.

He rubbed his ears gingerly. "You heard me. You're not deaf, and neither am I, so there is no need to shout," The aging sighed. He personally wasn't comfortable with this idea but the daimyo was pressing on him to do something and there was certainly more pros than cons. "Listen, I know it sounds ridiculous, But hear me out, Naruto. "

Naruto frowned, sitting down heavily. He could tell this was a serious.

"The Lightning village, Kumo, is up to something. Whatever it is our spies can't uncover the details, just that the higher ups have been planning something and are more paranoid than ever. This concerns me since we are on very tentative terms with the Kumo. However the village hidden in the Mist, which you know is secretly allied with us. But they openly have peaceful relationship with the Land of Lightning.

Now a family from the Mist village is going to the Kumo for their work. But they don't wish to take their daughter with them. She can't stay at home, since she has no relatives and they have to rent their house. I, of course, will gladly hide their daughter, but then questions will asked."

"So you want me, _a boy_, to undercover as _a girl_, just to find out if a village is up to something dangerous."

"I will not lie to you. This mission serves two purposes. The first is, as you said, to find out if the Land of Lightning is planning anything dangerous. The second is to start a sort of student exchange program. The Mizukage and I have wanted to do one for a while, but have been unable. While here, the girl, Anya, will enroll in the school here. When you go there, you will have two months before they move to join their school."

"I'm still a boy, old man."

"But your transformation and acting skills are top notch, combined with the proper seal and you'll be golden. Please, Naruto.

Naruto's mouth settled into a grim line. "Fine, I'll do it, but I am_ so _getting paid for this."

"Of course. I'd expect no less. The family will be here around ten tomorrow morning. I'll see you then." Naruto left the office, forehead lines tight in thought.

-X-

"I really must thank you Hokage-sama, for all your willing to do for us."

"It no problem, really." He replied easily, glancing at the door. Naruto was late.

"But won't it be difficult, Hokage-sama?" the girl, Anya, spoke up. "I know from the academy that holding transformations for long periods of time is difficult, and it's even harder for a fully grown man or woman to transform into someone so small."

The old man smiled at her and said, "Trust me, dear getting smaller won't be a problem, and I have a seal that will stop the transformation from wearing off as long as the user had chakra." In fact, the Hokage couldn't help thinking, the only size problem would be that she was taller than Naruto, despite being two months younger. "I'm just wondering where he is, he's not usually late…"

"I'm here, quit whining all ready."

Naruto drawled out as he stepped through the door, closing it behind him. The family jumped, they hadn't heard the door open.

"Your late," the Hokage pointed out as Naruto yawned. "Late night?" he asked, taking a sip of Stone.

"Actually, yes, I was cleaning my house up." The aging leader nearly choked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. He also glanced at his cup, making sure it wasn't alcohol. Catching the look Naruto scowled, "What! I clean."

"Once a year…"Was the muttered response.

"Well, I saw something you didn't. If she's staying here for a while she'll need somewhere to stay. She can't stay in my apartment, for obvious reasons, and you can't get her an apartment or hotel room of her own, cause that's going to cost money, from you or them, and people will question where it was going. So I cleaned up my house. It's free, had privacy and no one knows it's mine."

The Hokage tried to find a hole in his logic, but failed.

"Um, what's going on?" the man wanted to know.

"The old farts trying to make it look like I didn't just out think him. He's failing miserably." Naruto replied, showing his lack of authority as he sat on the edge of the Hokage's desk.

The Hokage rolled his eyes. "Anyway, now she has a place to stay, and I've already started documentation to enroll her in the academy. Anything else I've forgotten?" He asked.

Naruto frowned, thinking but it was Anya who spoke up. "If he disappears and I appear, won't that cause some suspicion?"

"Actually, we have a solution for that, "Her father said, "My wife, Ali, and I, told people we were coming here to buy supplies for the move, since they're cheaper here. We've rented our hotel room for a couple of weeks. That way they can both be seen in the village and in the academy for a couple of weeks. Hopefully no one will notice if his disappearance coincides with our departure. Though…" he hesitated.

"Yes?" the Hokage asked, sensing the problem.

"Could we perhaps speak with you alone, Hokage-sama?" His gaze slid to the children.

"Of course," the Hokage took out a pouch of money and tossed it to Naruto, who caught it easily. "I think Anya could use some new clothes to fit in, lighter ones, likely." He had noticed that all the family wore heavy clothing that would be hard on them once the days warmed up.

"Yeah, I get." The boy said carelessly. "You want me gone." He slipped of the desk and walked to the door, waving goodbye. Surprised Anya stood up, bowed and hurried after him.

"Oh, Naruto!" The boy paused before closing the door, "The usual precautions."

Now Naruto rolled his eyes, "Duh!" and slammed the door shut.

Anya's father, Gojei, spoke up. "Hokage-sama, while I respect your judgment, I'm not sure I'm comfortable with this. He's just a boy himself.

The Hokage nodded slowly, "I understand your concerns, Gojei, and under normal circumstances would agree with you. But Naruto is far from normal.

"Begging your pardon, sir, I don't understand."

"Naruto is very mature for his age, much like your daughter. He also carries a very heavy past. When I briefed him, I gave him the three reasons I was sending him. On was that I had only two others with the skills for this, and they are busy. He is also to enact as part of an exchange student program and figure if the Land of lightning are planning something against us or are allies. What I did not tell him was that it also serves to get him out of the village for a while. I'm hoping that by doing so, he will relax on a way he never can here."

Ali spoke up quietly, "You "make it sound like there people out for his blood every night and he's always tense because of it."

"My dear, I'm afraid that is exactly what he often deals with and more…Anyway, unless you wish to take back the mission request, he's going." Seeing no signs of them doing he went on, "Good, now onto other matters…"

-X-

Naruto jogged down the steps to the ground floor, carefully putting the bag of money into his ninja pouch. Anya followed a couple steps behind, knowing to keep her mouth shut in such a crowded building, but feeling her curiosity building. It was only encouraged by the dark looks she saw several of the people shoot toward her guide. So instead she waited until Naruto had led her outside and into an alley way. "May I ask you a question?"

He glanced back, "Of course, just wait tell were farther in."

She blinked but followed Naruto past several twists and turns. If it wasn't for her training she would have been lost by the time the young boy stopped. "Okay, Fire away." Naruto said, studying her up and down.

"Are you really a ninja at your age? I heard there were prodigies but…"

"Nah, I'm not a ninja." Naruto interrupted her.

"What…but if you're taking a mission then you have to be a ninja. Civilians aren't allowed to do them, no matter how easy."

Naruto nodded, "Well that's true, but I'm not really taking the mission, per say, I'm simply doing the old man a favor. Of course I am getting paid…I wonder if that makes it a mission." Naruto shrugged, "Well, if anyone asks I'll tell them it's compensation for the danger I'm being placed in." he nodded decisively, smiling brightly at her decision.

Anya shook her at the boy in front of her, "If you're not a ninja, how do you plan to replace me?"

"Oh that's easy, with a simple transformation and a lot acting, anyone can do it, in theory. I just happen to have a lot of experience. I may not be a ninja yet, but I do know that skill. Speaking of which…" Naruto formed a single hand sign and a poof of smoke appeared around him. When the smoke cleared, Anya was looking at someone who could be a sister. Same skin tone and eye color. The transformed hair was shorter than hers, and darker in color, and the clothing style was totally different. She looked a bit older than Anya, but she could deal with it.

"Now I'm your older sister, Gikei, taking you shopping for new clothes."

Anya snorted at the name since the boy, no, the girl in front of her would soon be her gikei.*

So instead she followed her 'sister' out into the street and into a ninja apparel shop. It looked old and unused but Anya didn't question. A moment later she was glad. She had walked into a gold mine, clothing wise. The shopped was cramped with just about every type of clothing possible, basic gear, suits of training spandex, bandages, gloves and shoes.

An old man limped out front, and studied them for a moment. "Can I help you find anything?"

Anya shook her head, "no, we'll look around. Thank you though,"

He nodded slowly, "Just let me know if you need a certain size or color or some such thing." He slowly limped into the backroom.

Anya looked around slowly, picking several different pieces and studying them. It only took her a few minutes to realize something. "None of these have prices on them, "she remarked quietly. Of course, she thought. For such an unused store, he has to charge high to get any profit.

But Gikei leaned down in a conspirator's whisper, "I know he charges based on how much money you seem to make, and how much you're buying, not by the price of individual items. So for a Jonnin he charges high prices then charges cheap for academy students and such. He's a lot of ninja's favorite because of it, though he doesn't advertise it much.

Anya grinned and shoved two pairs of capris in a basket, both with lots of pockets. One was navy green, the other a dark grey. Then she went to look at the gloves.

In the end she bought three outfits, three long-sleeves shirts, all dull colors, and a matching vest to cover them. She also got a pair of black pants, fingerless gloves with a steel plate on the back, also matching her shirts. She ended with a smoke gray pair of sandals Gikei said most leaf shinobi wore.

And Gikei hadn't lied; the man let her off surprisingly cheap, but asked her not to spread the word of his shop. Anya agreed readily and left with two bags of stuff. Without turning she asked, "Where now?"

"Your new home," She replied easily, and started strolling through the crowds like she owned the entire street. Anya was amused to see that the people got out of her way quick, despite not having a clue who she was. Hurrying, Anya caught up as the entered a narrow alley. As they rounded a bend and got out of the eyes of the street, she saw Naruto, back to his normal self, placing a grate on the ground, uncovering a hole that led into the ground.

"The sewers?" Anya moaned. She wasn't the a very weak willed girl, but she had just bought new clothes.

"Nope" Naruto laughed, that's just a disguise.

Anya leaned over and saw he was right. It was really a tunnel, about seven feet deep, with plenty of walking room. She jumped in and Naruto followed, slamming the lid clos as he did so. Anya quickly cracked a glow stick and they made their way in silence for several minutes. On their way she saw several other tunnels join the one they were on and realized they stretched all over Konoha. When they finally climbed a ladder, Anya was surprised to find herself on the outskirts of a clearing in the forest, with a large house in the middle. Through the woods Anya could spot other, smaller cabins littered through the forest.

"Welcome, Anya," Naruto said grandly, beckoning to the area, "To the Namikaze estates."


	2. Chapter 2

**Forgot to mention last chapter, the name Naruto called himself, ****Gikei, roughly translates to copy, thus Anya's amusement.**

Anya looked around as Naruto walked up to the front door. Closer up, Anya could see a seal made out of wood just a shade darker than the door itself. Touching a small knot on the side, he waited as it slowly glowed blue. "Give me your hand." He commanded. Anya did so without hesitation. She trusted him, though she wasn't quite sure why. He got out a kunai and, before she could react, made a shallow cut on her palm.

"Ow!" She cried, trying to jerk her hand back. Naruto held on strong, and wiped up the blood with his finger. He wiped the blood on the blue spot, which disappeared.

Letting go of her hand, he handed her a roll of bandages. "Sorry about that. The seal allows anyone with my family's blood to open the gates. I had to add your blood in order for you to use the house.

"You could have warned me." She grumbled.

"I should have, sorry" Naruto apologized again, leading the way through the doors.

Before she could retort, her eyes fell on the rest of the house. A large family room was right inside the door, and off the right, she saw a kitchen and dining room. To the left, a set of stairs was against the wall.

"Bedrooms and bathrooms are upstairs, dojo's downstairs. " Naruto explained as he walked in. "Everything's unlocked except a trunk and a cabinet in the basement. It's the only things I keep here. Feel free to make yourself at home."

"This is…amazing! Why don't you live here?"

"Well, it wouldn't be…good if people found out. This used to be the fourth's house and most people believe the Hokage keeps it to rent out to visitors. If they found out it was mine, bad things would happen. Besides, my apartments closer to the academy."

Anya wanted to ask why people didn't seem to like him very much. At first she didn't think much of the transformation jutsu, putting it aside as a cover story. But then there was Naruto's story and the secret tunnels. What was he hiding?

Before she could ask, a knock sound outside the door. Naruto looked up and grinned. He motioned for her to hide and she did so as he performed a few hand signs. Anya couldn't see anything from behind the couch but she was tensed. Armed visitors? But then why had Naruto grinned?

"Mom, Dad!" Anya heard a high pitched voice shout and with a shock she realized it was her own. She peeked over the couch to see a carbon copy of herself clinging onto her parents in a giant hug. Her parents were taking turns patting the girls back in a comforting manner, both looking at each other with confused faces.

The Hokage, who Anya hadn't noticed coughed slightly, "I think you've confused our guests enough, Naruto""

"Aww, are you sure?" The prankster asked as he leapt back from the parents, smoke swarming away as Naruto retained his true form.

"Yes." He said simply, as Anya watched her parents suffer from mild shock.

Naruto didn't seem to notice, but Anya was starting to suspect he was a lot more observant and cunning than he let on. "Hey, Anya, let's go find you a room. We can let the _adults _talk." Anya couldn't help but grin at the mocking way he said the word 'adults' as if he doubted they deserved the term. She also caught the guilty glance between the three, as if they hadn't wanted to tell them they need to talk alone.

Yes, definitely more observant.

Anya turned to grab her bags of new clothes from the couch were she had dropped them, only to find Naruto had already grabbed them and was halfway up the stairs. She followed a bit reluctantly.

Naruto was already in one of the bedrooms up stairs, and Anya was once again surprised by the size of the place. It was pretty simple-a bed was centered against one wall, a book shelf on one side with a few pictures gleaming in their frames. A dresser was set at the end of the bad and across the room she saw a door that was open to a large walk-in closet. Glancing to the right, Anaya noticed a comfortable bathroom. With a shock she realized this was the master bedroom.

"Naruto, I can't stay in here, it's much too impressive. And I just wouldn't feel right, staying in the master bedroom."

Naruto looked at her weird. "Well if you say so." He picked up the bags he had put on the bed and a relieved Anya led the way out of the bedroom and to the door across the hall.

"No Anya wait, that's!" But it was too late, Anya had already walked into the room, a colorful nursery.

Naruto chuckled nervously, "I don't think you'll want to stay here." He said gently pulling her out of the room.

Anya followed, a bit confused that Naruto would have a nursery he obviously hadn't planned on her seeing.

"Naruto, you said this was your house, right?"

Yeah, why?"

"Then why do you have a fully decorated nursery."

Naruto paused in the middle of the hall, and his hands curled into tight fist, making Anya wonder if she had crossed a line. After he took a deep breath he said quietly, "Sorry, I was just hoping you wouldn't ask."

"I don't really need to…"

"No, you should know. My parents decorated it before they died, and it was like that when I inherited the house. I never had the heart to go in there, let alone change it. Besides, I'm never here, so what's it matter"

"Oh, so you have a sibling?"

Naruto gave her a weird look. "No" he entered another bedroom, this one was just as plainly furnished, but a great deal smaller than the last. "This was originally meant to be a guest bedroom.

Anya looked around, a question on her lips, but she was too courteous to ask. "I like it."

"But you have questions, still." He stated calmly. She looked at him, cementing her earlier opinion on his observatory skills. "Go ahead, ask, I won't mind."

Anya still hesitated a moment longer. "If the nursery wasn't for a sibling, does that mean it was…yours?"

Naruto nodded slowly, eyes distant. "Yeah, though I never slept in it. That was the second time I've ever gone in there, actually. Both my parents died right after I was born. My birth was too much stress on my mom's body, when coupled with the Kyuubi attack. My dad died, along with many others, protecting and saving the village."

Naruto took a deep breath, "I don't know why I'm telling you this, but I wasn't completely truthful earlier. There are other reasons I don't live here. Now that you know about my parents, I might as well tell you. But tell anyone and I will hunt you down got!" Naruto's voice was too sad to carry the threat but she nodded anyway.

"I got it"

"Good. You see I always thought it would be awkward growing up in this house, all alone, even when I was younger.(1) Besides, just being here brings up a lot of what-ifs. I can usually avoid them, but that nursery…" Naruto shook his head.

Anya could understand. Walking into a room where you were supposed to grow up, and be raised, only to know it was all taken away from you before you could even remember them. A lot of what-if's indeed.

Naruto smiled at her again, and said, "Well, I'll leave your stuff here and we can make sure the adult aren't getting into trouble." He ran off downstairs, but Anya followed more slowly. Perhaps it was just because she knew him a bit better but she could swear she saw the haunting in his eyes or the fact that the edges of his smile were just a little to forced.

"…make us dinner?" The Hokage was asking as Anya got downstairs.

"Of course I'm sure, old man. Do I ever say anything I don't mean?" Naruto demanded, hands on his hips.

"Yes, you do, all the time, in fact. Most people just don't realize the lies you speak are just that." The Hokage said smartly.

Naruto scowled, "Just sprout my secrets to the world why don't you," He grumbled, marching off to the kitchen. Soon pots began clanging and water ran. Then Naruto's head poked out to the kitchen. "Umm…I just realized, I don't keep any food here…at all."

The aged leader just laughed. "Okay, I get it, go shopping. Genji," The hokage, spoke to Anya's father, "Why don't you come with me, I'll show you the best shops. Mia can you help Anya unpack?" He asked Anya's mother.

"Of course," she said with a startled curtsey.

"And I'll set the table and stuff." Naruto said brightly, as the Hokage left.

"My stuff's up here, but my suitcase is still at the hotel." Anya told her mother.

"You mean the case?" Mia asked, gesturing to the couch, were Anya saw her suitcase was sitting.

"Oh…yeah, that one." Anya said, embarrassed she hadn't noticed before. She grabbed the case and showed her mother upstairs.

"This is a nice room." Mia commented as Anya showed her in.

"I thought so to. Naruto wanted to set me up in the master bedroom but I would have felt too awkward." Any said, hanging her new shirts up on new hangers she found in the closet.

Downstairs, Naruto hummed quietly as he set the tale. For some reason he was feeling all light and bubbly inside. If he didn't know better, he would have suspected someone poisoning him.

Naruto thought back, trying to remember when it had all started. He had first noticed it in the market with Anya. He had passed it off as awkwardness between peers. But it had stayed their ever sense, only vanishing when he went into the nursery.

Naruto gave up with a shrug. It was probably just indigestion. Maybe the Hokage had a point and he did eat too much ramen.


End file.
